During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the renowned statesman Wang Meng served as prime minister of Former Qin, governing so effectively that the state became a northern powerhouse.
Wang Meng came from a poor family and once made a living selling bamboo baskets. He loved reading, especially military texts, and studied under a learned teacher, devoting every spare moment to his studies. In those days, scholars were obsessed with idle philosophical chatter, looking down on Wang Meng, who in turn ignored them completely.
Shortly after the Former Qin dynasty was established, the Eastern Jin general Huan Wen led a massive army to attack Former Qin, advancing to the Guanzhong region and stationing his troops at Bashang. That year, the thirty-year-old Wang Meng was living in seclusion on Mount Huayin. Hearing of Huan Wen's arrival, he donned a tattered coarse linen jacket and went to the Eastern Jin camp to seek an audience with Huan Wen.
In the Eastern Jin Dynasty military camp, where officers crowded around, the advisor Wang Mang met General Huan Wen. While discussing the empire's situation in a ceaseless flow of words, Wang Mang casually reached into his robe and began picking lice off his body, his demeanor utterly composed, as if no one else were present.
Huan Wen, impressed by his insightful arguments, thought few in the Eastern Jin could match him, and asked, "I have been ordered by the court to lead a hundred thousand elite troops north on a punitive expedition to rid the people of harm. Yet none of the heroes of Guanzhong have come to see me. What is the reason for this?"
Wang Meng replied without hesitation, "You have traveled a thousand li to come here, leading your army deep into enemy territory, with Chang'an already in sight. Yet you refuse to cross the Ba River to attack. The people cannot fathom your intentions, so no one has come to welcome you."
The truth was that Huan Wen had no real intention of reclaiming lost territory—he was merely using the northern expedition to boost his own prestige. So when he reached Bashang, he lingered and hesitated, unwilling to press on toward Chang'an. Wang Meng's words struck directly at Huan Wen's hidden agenda. Hearing this, Huan Wen refused to continue the discussion. After a long silence, he dismissed Wang Meng.
When Huan Wen withdrew his army, he sent carriages and horses to Wang Meng, offered him an official position, and invited him to go south together. Wang Meng said, "Please let me think it over." Wang Meng went to seek his teacher's advice. His teacher told him, "How could you work with a man like Huan Wen? Better stay here and wait for the right opportunity."
Wang Meng decided to stay. Soon, Emperor Fu Jian of Former Qin heard of Wang Meng's reputation and summoned him. After a single conversation, Fu Jian was deeply impressed—it felt just like when Liu Bei had met Zhuge Liang in the old days. From then on, Fu Jian placed great trust in Wang Meng, who finally had the chance to fully display his talents.
Later, the idiom "Talking While Lice-Picking" came to describe someone of great talent who speaks with remarkable insight, remains composed, and disregards trivial formalities.
Source: *Book of Jin*, "Biography of Wang Meng"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "扪虱而谈" came to describe how someone of great talent who speaks with remarkable insight, remains composed, and disregards trivial formalities.